Could Wichita or Oklahoma City be a better alternative for WNBA Shock?

[Laramie]

The WNBA appears to be struggling in Tulsa in comparison to the other WNBA markets. Considering the on-court production of the Shock it doesn't surprise me. Tulsa is definitely a hard-town on losers.

Oklahoma City supported the Hornets throuh two losing seasons post-Katrina and an opening losing season for the Thunder.

Wichita like Tulsa has a new arena seating in excess of 15,000.

Do you believe that the Shock might be better off playing in Oklahoma City or Wichita than Tulsa?

If the team played in Oklahoma City, would the Cox Convention Center be more suitable than the Oklahoma City Arena?

What are your thoughts?

[swilki]

I don't think you can really compare a losing NBA team with a losing WNBA team. Heck, I don't even think you can compare the best WNBA attendance numbers to the worst NBA attendance numbers. To me the WNBA is a losing league, it is bound to fold. But maybe it would have better luck in Wichita...

[theparkman81]

I wouldn't be surprise if the team moves to Oklahoma City and the Thunder owns the franchise, and play at the Cox Center, thats if the WNBA doesn't fold before then.

[BrettM2]

I wouldn't be surprise if the team moves to Oklahoma City and the Thunder owns the franchise, and play at the Cox Center, thats if the WNBA doesn't fold before then.

I think if ownership wanted this option, they would have kept the Seattle Storm and moved them with the Thunder; however, they sold the team before the relocation. They could have already had one in OKC if that was in their interest.

The NBA finances this league pretty heavily. Their survival is really up the league office.

[BG918]

I'll be very surprised if the WNBA is even around in 2 years. That being said what city would want the 1-9 Shock? Tulsa could care less.

[dankrutka]

Why does everyone think the WNBA is about to fold? It's not like things are different then they've always been... The NBA has always supported them. Do you guys have any evidence or are you just making stuff up?

[swilki]

Why does everyone think the WNBA is about to fold? It's not like things are different then they've always been... The NBA has always supported them. Do you guys have any evidence or are you just making stuff up?

No hard evidence, just personal opinion. If the NBA is having trouble staying afloat, I doubt the WNBA, whose major funding comes from the NBA (not owners), will be around much longer. I don't think there is one profitable WNBA team.

[Bill Robertson]

Why does everyone think the WNBA is about to fold? It's not like things are different then they've always been... The NBA has always supported them. Do you guys have any evidence or are you just making stuff up?

The NBA is currently in a lockout supposedly because many NBA teams are losing money. If this is true how long can the NBA keep the WNBA afloat. Especially if it drags out and there is no income producing NBA season next year.

Things aren't any "different than they've always been" but the NBA has kept the WNBA alive for years. If you were losing big money on something wouldn't you, at some point, say enough is enough. I think that day is coming so if the Shock move let someone else have them.

[dankrutka]

The Shock might move, but Tulsa should at least get a team that's not the worst in the league before their fan base is fully judged.

The NBA is making plenty of money. The nbers that the NBA are using to indicate money is being lost are deceptive. This is more a power grab by the owners than anything...

[Laramie]

The Shock might move, but Tulsa should at least get a team that's not the worst in the league before their fan base is fully judged.

The NBA is making plenty of money. The nbers that the NBA are using to indicate money is being lost are deceptive. This is more a power grab by the owners than anything...

Moving the Shock is no slap in the face to Tulsa. Tulsa is an overextended minor league market and face it--she is a hard-town on losers. Sure, if the team was winning the attendance would be up; however, the owners are from Oklahoma City--it would be better if there were local Tulsans with a majority vested interest in the team.

The NBA owners who are losing money are their own worst enemies; they are the teams who are over the salary cap. Now they want a hard and a soft cap because the players are getting too much of the money and many of them are not producing.
Players want security and you can't blame them.

[SoonerDave]

Comparing the WNBA to a "successful" professional sports enterprise is like comparing a Yugo to a Lexus. The WNBA is the penultimate joke, propped up by the NBA for heaven only knows what reasons. I'll gladly cede the "Shock" to Wichita or Fort Smith or Rolling Rock or whatever city is desperate enough to want them.